Dear MLS and RSL- Valencia simply won’t do

March 23, 2009 by f4denz.

Given the huge number of better quality sides coming to the States this summer if Don Garber, Major League Soccer and Real Salt Lake can’t do better than Valencia as the opponent in the 2009 MLS All Star Match it simply has to be that they don’t care. How else can you explain that Inter Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea are all going to be in the States for matches on both the east and west coasts? All the press coverage about these teams makes it hard to believe that it is just rumors (read here, Chelsea is in Seattle 10 days before All Star Match, AC Milan faces LA again 10 days before the All Star Match) with two team involved already selling tickets to the match, one has to ask the simple question, are Real fans getting screwed over?

I understand that RSL put a lot of money out to get the US Womens team here, and that the same is true to get a World Cup qualifying match, but when it was announced that we were going to be the host of the 2009 MLS All Star match, big names were tossed around. Now that Real Madrid is out and hosting the Peace Cup, is Valencia really the best they can do? I know that RSL has fought the league from just bringing in a Mexican team, thank god for that, but I wonder if the reason it looks like this match is being done on the cheap is the fact that RSL decided to put this match into the season ticket package? Could that be the cause of the “cheap” treatment that the All Star match appears to be getting?

I doubt much that Don G. reads my simple little blog, but I know a few of you in the FO do, and I know you are better than this. I know it has to be a deal done with MLS involved but don’t let a keystone moment for the franchise and Rio Tinto Stadium get screwed over because nobody is willing to do it right. With teams like Chelsea, Barca, Inter, and AC Milan all going to be around, do as the old saying goes “go big or go home”. Don’t let Don or anyone from MLS get off the hook by claiming poverty, hell they just collected 80 million dollars in fees for new franchises, and can afford to fly Don all over the place (and we know he isn’t flying coach).

Do it right, bring in the big name club with some big name players, nobody is going to pay for autographs from Valencia, but I bet you can sell them for Barca.

OFF MY SOAPBOX

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